Lobelia plant named ‘Grülo 06’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Grülo 06’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and blue and white bi-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lobelia richardii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Gruülo 06’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia richardii, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Guülo 06’.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Lobelia cultivars with a cascading habit, larger flowers and attractive flower colors.

The new Lobelia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2002 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii identified as code number IO 8, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii identified as code number IO 11, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within the resultant progeny from the above-mentioned cross-pollination in a controlled environment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands in August, 2002.

Asexual reproduction since September, 2002 of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Grëlo 06’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Gruülo 06’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading to cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Blue and white bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia and the female parent selection differ primarily in flower size as plants of the new Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Lobelia and the male parent selection differ primarily in plant form as plants of the male parent selection are longer and have a more trailing plant habit.

Plants of the cultivar Grülo 06 can be compared to the cultivar Weslobigblue, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,634, However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Lobelia and the cultivar Weslobigblue differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were taller than plants of the         cultivar Weslobigblue.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered about two weeks earlier         than plants of the cultivar Weslobigblue.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had slightly smaller flowers than         plants of the cultivar Weslobigblue.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia were darker blue in         color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Weslobigblue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia. The photograph comprises a side view of a typical plant of ‘Grülo 06’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Grülo 06 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following description were grown in an outdoor nursery under conditions that closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring and summer in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 14° C. and light levels ranged from 20,000 to 45,000 lux. Plants were pinched once during the production period. Plants were about four months from planting when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia richardii cultivar Grülo 06. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii             identified as code number IO 8, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii             identified as code number IO 11, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 8 to 10 days at 16° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About three to four weeks at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched; color,             162C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plants form/habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading to             cascading plant habit; plants eventually become spherical in             form. Plants uniform and freely branching with lateral             branches potentially forming at every node; dense and bushy             plant habit; pinching plants enhances branching. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant length (soil level to lateral branches apices).—About             30 to 40 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 25 to 30 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity of primary lateral             branches: About 15.         -   Length.—About 25 to 30 cm. Diameter: About 1 to 1.5 mm.             Internode length: About 2 to 3 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Basal             leaves: Length: About 3.5 to 4 cm. Width: About 2 to 2.4 cm.             Shape: Elliptic to oval. Apex: Rounded. Base: Acute. Margin:             Lobed, crenate. Mid-plant and apical leaves: Length: About             3.5 to 4 cm. Width: About 1.6 to 1.8 cm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Acute. Margin: Lobed, crenate. Texture,             all leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation, all leaves: Pinnate. Color, all leaves: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 144A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 143C. Fully developed foliage, upper surface: 146A;             venation, 146A. Fully developed foliage, lower surface:             146B; venation, 146A. Petiole length: About 8 to 10 mm.             Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper and             lower surfaces: 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers arranged singly at lateral             apices. Flowers held mostly outwardly. Flowers not             persistent. Older flowers are overgrown by new flowers and             foliage. Early flowering; plants begin flower about ten             weeks after planting. Freely flowering, about 120 to 150             flowers and flower buds per plant. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flower shape.—Tubular with three larger lower petals and two             upright petals.         -   Natural flowering season.—From early spring until the autumn             in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Typically eight to ten days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.5 to 1.8 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 to             4 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: 154D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused;             three larger lower petals and two smaller upper petals.             Three lower petals: Length, above throat: About 1.5 to             1.6 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Two upper petals: Length, above             throat: About 6 to 8 mm. Width: About 1 to 2 mm. Upper and             lower petals: Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: 99A; center, N155A. When             opening, lower surface: 99B; tube, N155A. Fully opened,             lower surface: 99B to 99C; center, N155A. Tube color: Close             to 155D. Throat color: Close to 155A. Petal, fully opened,             lower surface: 97A to 97B; tube, N144A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals,             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 8 to 10 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.             Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 to             1 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             five. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: N200C.             Filament length: About 1 mm. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: 3B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: N200B.             Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: N200B. Ovary color:             N200B. Seeds: Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Shape: Spherical. Color: 200D. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from 0° C. to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Grülo 06’, as illustrated and described. 